Pierre F Walter

Taoism and the I Ching Pierre F Walter

TAOISM AND THE I CHING is a scholarly article both for neophytes and professionals about the art of leadership from an uncanny perspective. The author's approach is original in the sense that he enriched and transformed the Western leadership paradigm through basic elements of Oriental wisdom, taken from Taoism and the I Ching. The central question of the article is to understanding the I Ching from a point of view of decision-making, and as an aid to decision-making. In this sense, the 'oracle book' becomes an effective guide for taking action, which can mean nonaction and right action. Depending on the circumstances in which the practitioner is, the I Ching will advise one of the three potential courses of action: going forward, standing still (nonaction) or going backward. The difference between the Taoist approach and the Western leadership approach is obvious. In the West, only going forward with a project is considered as the approach to take. Notions such as nonaction or retreat are easily connoted with character weakness or procrastination. In truth, going forward blindly often leads into an impasse or can be outright dangerous. Hence, the Oriental wisdom that recommends two more options to consider in any given situation: standing still or retreat.